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Welcome to Torre di Ponzano, your home away from home ...

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Warm hospitality and friendly atmosphere

for a special stay in the Chianti reagion

Chianti, a territory in the reagion of Tuscany well known all over the world for its landscape and wine and art towns like Florence (Firenze), Siena, Lucca, San Gimignano ...

Location is the key to an easy visit and exploration of the Chianti!

The central location of our houme will allow you not only to visit and explore this territory and its towns, but, also, relax in peaceful surroundings, enjoy beautiful panorama, immerse yourself in a rural setting, admire lovely sunset, indulge in the local cuisine and, when needed, following our advice, based on our intimate knowledge of the region.

As far as accommodation is concerned you can choose from the following:

'Il Fienile' - large, full of light, disposed on four floors and finely restored, this semidetached villa can cater for up to 6 people, even if single writers love it for its desk positioned in front of an inspiring view.

Double Rooms - all located on the main building, tastefully decorated and with all modern comforts.

The Tower - in the oldest part of Ponzano(built around 945) an old tower build against invasion, there are now two double rooms with its own private entrance.

click here to visit

Details ... emphasizing the meticulous work of man in keeping alive traditions

Old objects saved from oblivion change their meanings

A tray becoming a picture

a potty becoming a flower pot ...

As the seasons alternate

earth observes and adapts to changes

Contacts

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For information and bookings kindly contact us:

agriponzano@hotmail.com

Tel. & Fax 0039 0558059255

Cell. phones:

Andrew: 0039 3384482613

Alba: 0039 3386732004

DOUBLE ROOMS ...

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All rooms have ensuite bathroom with shower, hair-dryer, safe, TV , coffee and tea making facilities, fridge,

individually-controlled air conditioning

individually-controlled heating system.

Room n° 5 standard double room

View from room n° 5

Room n° 3 - Deluxe double room -

Bathroom with shower in room n° 3

click here to visit

"THE TOWER" ...

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This is the oldest part of the establishment.
It is over a thousand years old. Built in 945 it used to be an old
watch tower between the Florentine and the Senese territory.
It comprises a kitchen, two double rooms
(one large double room and a smaller one)
and a bathroom with shower.
Situated on two levels it has its own private entrance

The kitchen corner

Large double room

click here to visit

THE VILLA ...

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'Il Fienile'
Large portion of a barn (220 mq) finely restored, full of light and with a large window facing the sun setting on the tuscan hills and overlooking the olive grove.
The perfect solution for a family or a group of 4/5/6 people
Private panoramic garden
Shared Pool
Pictures and detailed descriptions do not do justice to this rural building which is disposed on 4 levels
and has so much space to share.
A small panoramic lounge, a sitting lounge which opens directly on the private garden, a large dining lounge, the brand new kitchen with washing machine and dish washer, 3 double rooms, two bathrooms and a total of 12 windows.

Facade of 'Il Fienile'

Lounge with direct access to the private garden

Dining lounge

Kitchen

Garden

Double room with ensuite bathroom

Double room

Bathroom with shower

Interior

Small double room

View from the large window

click here to visit

Rates

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Rates year 2010/2011

Double rooms (per night)	Standard	89,00
	Standard air conditioning	93,00
	Deluxe	99,00
	Deluxe air conditioning	103,00
Extra bed		25,00

La Torre - two double room, sharing one bathroom with shower and kitchen
Per week	Two persons	870,00
	Three persons	920,00
	Four persons	970,00
Per night	min. 3 nights, air conditioning included	150,00
Air conditioning on request, supplement € 9,00 per day

Il Fienile	per week	1.900,00
	per night	300,00
220 mq. disposed on four levels - Dining lounge, kitchen with washing machine and dish washer, sitting lounge with direct access to the private garden, 3 double rooms, 2 bathrooms, service toilette, ventilator every room (without air conditioning)

Location

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Torre di Ponzano is located in Ponzano, a small hamlet near the village of Barberino Val d'Elsa.
Barberino Val d'Elsa is north of Poggibonsi on the old Cassia road or, more precisely, on the old 'Via Francigena' half way between Florence, Siena and San Gimignano.

Visualizzazione ingrandita della mappa

To get to Ponzano, coming either from Florence or Siena, you have to take the SUPERSTRADA (also called AUTOPALIO). This is the main connection between Florence and Siena, it is not a motorway but a four laned drive without toll.

--Continue on this dual-carriage way till the exit 'POGGIBONSI NORD'

--Take exit ‘POGGIBONSI NORD’ come to the roundabout and take the first road on the right following directions to Barberino Val d’Elsa

--- from here we are only 5.4 km (3 miles) away ---

--Go in the direction of Barberino and after exactly 4,7 Km turn right on a white country road

--Continue for 700 mt and you will arrive at la ‘Torre di Ponzano’ which is the first house on the right

Places to visit from Torre di Ponzano

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Half an hour drive:

FIRENZE - 30 km - 18 miles

SIENA - 30 km - 18 miles

SAN GIMIGNANO - 20 Km - 12 miles

CERTALDO - 16 Km - 10 miles

VOLTERRA - 44 Km - 27 miles

One hour drive:

MONTALCINO - 70 Km - 43 miles

PIENZA - 90 Km - 55 Miles

MONTEPULCIANO - 95 Km - 58 miles

LUCCA - 108 Km - 67 miles

CORTONA - 99 Km - 61 miles

PERUGIA - 133 Km - 82 miles

Nearest Aerports:

FLORENCE airport - 45 km - 27 miles

PISA airport - 110 Km - 68 miles

Rome is 270 Km away - 167 miles
Milan is 330 Km away - 204 miles

BOOKINGS & CANCELLATION POLICY

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All bookings can be made via e-mail:

agriponzano@hotmail.com
albanacoppi@hotmail.com
torre_di_ponzano@hotmail.com

or on the phone:
0039 0558059255

Bookings are confirmed only after receiving a credit card number
(VISA or Mastercard) and expiration date.
To safely send your credit card details you can do it:
via fax: 0039 0558059255
or on the phone
home number: 0039 0558059255
cell phone numbers: 0039 3386732004
0039 338 4482613

Please note:
WE DO NOT ACCEPT PETS OF ANY SORT AND SIZE

CHANGING YOUR DATES OF ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE:

The dates of your booking can be changed providing there are avaliability for the new dates you will request

CANCELLATION POLICY:

The credit card number you send us is to guarantee the deposit for your reservation and it may be
debited with an amount which varies from 33% to 50% of the total amount due -in relation to the type of accommodation you rent - with a minimum of one night in case of bookings of one or two nights.
Torre di Ponzano has a different policy for different types of accommodation.
We kindly ask you to read carefuly what follows before confirming your booking and to contact us in case any part of our policy is not clear to you.
We will be at your complete disposal for any explanation as our guests satisfaction is a priority for us.

The ROOMS & La 'TORRE':

The deposit requested when you reserve a room is 33% of the total amount due.
You may cancel your booking up to 30 days prior to your arrival without any penalty.
If you cancel you booking 30 days before your arrival and your credit card has been debited with the deposit, the amount charged will be refunded to you minus the costs.

If you cancel your booking from 29 days up to 1 day before your arrival the deposit will not be refunded

In case of non-show the total cost of your stay will be debited.

Semidetached Villa 'IL FIENILE':

The deposit requested to reserve Il Fienile is 50% of the total amount due, it is required to be paid at the time of booking/reservation. It is a non refundable deposit.
The remaining 50% of the total cost of stay has to be paid on arrival.

PRE-PAID Not refundable:
There are some promotions which may be 'PRE-PAID Not refundable' In this case the total amount of your stay will be debited when you make the reservation and it will not be refunded in case of cancellation.
We have often noticed that our guests prefer to pay by cash since they find it cheaper to cash the money from the bank machines than paying by credit card.
Should you wish to pay by cash kindly inform us in advance.
Small dicounts are avaliable for cash payments for booking made directly and not for special offers.

IMPORTANT:
Should the credit card number be incomplete, wrong or if the expiration date is previous to your arrival we reserve the unconditioned right to cancel your reservation without any previous notice

SECURITY DEPOSIT:

For the villa a security deposit might be needed

When the keys are handed over to the guests the latter has to pay a security deposit in cash and in EURO to the owner.
The security deposit will be refunded at the end of the holiday less any deduction made for damage caused to the property or for any additional costs that were not included in the rental price.

In case a security deposit is not indicated on the web pages or not requested for any reasons , the guests are nonetheless responsible for any losses or damages caused to the property or its contents during the holiday.
In the event of any damages the owner reserves the right to charge the holiday-maker the relative amount.

White silence ...

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After so many years a glimpse of 'real' winter in Ponzano.

Snow brings a peaceful feeling. The world follows the slow motion of the snowflakes, falling soundless.

The soft white painting makes you notice things that would otherwise be left unnoticed.

The silence is different in the snow, it is so dense to become a presence, it is so important to take up the scene, it is so welcoming to make you feel at home.

Round footprints of deer are the only marks on the path.

Olive trees

The hamlet of Ponzano from the olive grove

The temperature is not so kind to the olive trees, the whole harvest can be at risk.

Trees, flowers, even objects are taken aback by the heavy weigth they have to carry ...

With the rays of the sun and the snow slowly melting away the view starts changing

All of the above along with some hot spicy wine, roasted chestnuts, apple cakes, and burning wood in the old stove will surely make cold days very pleasant!

The season is coming to an end ...

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Autumn, this is the time to take advantage of our special offers and enjoy the colours of the fall.

The climate is changing. For many years now the cold postpone its arrival and will be here only later on in december.
Not so many tourists will invade hills and art towns and I often wonder why two marvellous months like October and November are not chosen for holidays.
During this period sunsets have blasting colours, fields are green and, often, the gray day will roll into a shy sun and a cosy warmth.
This is the season of the new wine.
Nature has never chosen its products casually . The new wine is not very strong and it is pleasant to have a glass of Chianti to warm up the evenings and prepare, gradually, for the winter when the wine, finally mature, will be stronger so as to have more power to fight the long winter and the frosty days.

Autumn time.

The foggy hills give their very best when the mist is of a
bluish colour.
While the towers of San Gimignano barely appear in the distance,
the cypress trees look like feathers on elegant hats reminding us
of the ancient splendor of nature.

After the rain the soft skylines are dissolving into the sky.
It's a welcoming sight, while the vineyards and the olive groves disappear along with the labour of men.

From March to December

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The seasons ... deep poems that punctuate the sound of life

as with no poetry we exist without living

Les seasons ... poèmes profonde qui ponctuent le son de la vie parce que sans poésie on existe sans vivre

Le stagioni ... profonde poesia che scandiscono il suono della vita

perchè senza poesia esistiamo senza vivere

March

Trees still leafless

wild, small, yellow flowers are blooming under the first warm sun rays

Cypress are still suffering the passage of a short but heavy snow storm, their branches are leaning out towards the earth waiting for a human help

It's a matter of days then the country side will turn into an explosion of leaves, flowers, colors.

An old italian song says: 'The gardens in march dress up in new colors and young women live new loves ...'

April

Nurse: 'Do you believe in God?'

Einstein: 'Do I beleive there is someone who plans the daily life of Albert Einstein? No. Altough some times I think he may have been leading me up the garden path and I have spent all my life trying to catch him at his work!'

Nurse: 'But did he make the garden?'

Einstein: 'I think he is the garden'

May

May is a great month to visit Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Lucca, Pienza ....

Not too hot to enjoy the red wine served in the so many local Restaurants or simply sitting in the garden in front of a magnificent view!

June

This year june has been marvellous.

Not too crowded and not too hot ,with sporadic showers that have kept the country side green and pleasantly warm, allowing our guests to visit the art towns without suffering the heat.

One afternoon, after a thunder storm, the thick clouds on the sky have played up with the sun giving us a stunning sunset ...

July

Blooming lavender, busy bees and a garden which is now ready to change colour.

Soon the grass will be yellow under the usual heat that is proper of this summer month.

This is a period of the year where our guests spend over a week in Ponzano alternating a visit to Florence with a relaxing day in the pool, an afternoon in Siena with a lazy afternoon under the shadow of a tree reading a nice book with the sound of crickets in the background.
This is no time to challenge the heat, this is time to surrender to it and relax to the rhythm of lazy hours.

August

"Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing."

W.S.

... so is the month of August, it comes as a fiery chariot and rolls away in a flash!

leaving behind the trapped eyes of a wild deer ....

September

The summer heat dies in September, leaving a hot trail that will take us throughout the autumn ...

The fields are slowly recovering that shade of dark green lost during the summer, the grapes are waiting to be harvested and we are eager to taste a new good Chianti wine!

October

The yellow leaves of the pomogranate will soon be carpet for the lawn, the clouds barely hold the rain

while the warmest existing colors are all around us.

November

The harvest of the olives!!!

December

Merry Christmas!!!